


Speak Now

by sleepy_sendhelp



Series: Herongraystairs <3 [9]
Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25631464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepy_sendhelp/pseuds/sleepy_sendhelp
Summary: part two of the thing —— yes mildly inspired by taylor swift, no i still can’t write angst im just seeing this idea through hngh
Relationships: Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale, Jem Carstairs/Will Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Series: Herongraystairs <3 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810132
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Speak Now

**Author's Note:**

> let’s pretend shadowhunter weddings are similar to mundane ones because i need it thanks

“You’re unusually silent today.” 

“Thought I might grant you rest from my unceasing wit. Excited?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” The groom chuckled softly, gazing through his room’s window as if he could catch a glimpse of his golden bride down the Institute’s courtyard, a wash of calm overtaking his face which most might have thought could only be borne of someone who’s lived a long life. He wasn’t old, yet he’s suffered enough for a lifetime and more. 

Will looked at his parabatai decked in gold runes that glittered in the morning light. The loud silence did not bring him comfort nor joy, only deep apprehension that his better half might hear his pounding heart that was pleading not to go through with this, not to marry her, not without him. But he did not. Will couldn’t decide whether to be thankful or to acquaint his forehead with the nearest wall with the hopes of knocking all impossible thoughts out of his head.

He stood still instead, drinking in the sight of Jem, who couldn’t keep the beam off his face. How could he be such a monster so as to want to wipe it off his face by burdening him and speaking his truth? To confess unrequited love? Tessa and Jem were right for each other, like how strawberries and chocolates were —- remarkable alone but pure magic together, or how the sun and the earth were —-keeping each other in place with the weight of their gravity and bringing life to everywhere it touched. How could he come in between, like a jealous moon off to bring darkness and to disrupt their beautiful harmony? Who was he to declare their love incomplete without him? 

He shook his head to rid himself of the sorrowful thoughts that need not to make itself visibly known. Jem remained as he was, standing and relaxed. All soft edges, and youthful vigor with the promise of a long life behind his dark, dark eyes. He was a vision of endurance and persistence. The monument of hopeful, joyful new beginnings and endless love. 

Will crossed the room to join him, standing where sunlight shines through his window and bathing him in a hazy, ethereal light that made his knees tremble with the force of his emotions running up and down his spine. That caught Jem’s attention, his inquisitive eyes turning bemused at his parabatai’s fingers buried in his dark hair, fixing it but with his eyes meeting his. 

Soon the combing became petting, and the petting became gentle scratching, and Jem would be lying if he didn’t admit that he couldn’t care less about his hair, or that something curious thumped against his chest as he shared his breath with Will —-whose ever expressive eyes if you could learn to tell, was looking at him with something he was afraid to name but stole his breath all the same. 

“Is something the matter with my hair?” he could almost feel the weight of that small silver streak. 

“Yes, you’d best walk in there bald instead.” that earned Will an unimpressed snort and an endeared smile. The hand on his hair slid down to cup his face and both men were at a loss for words. The room was filled with more than floating dust and distant chirping of early birds. 

Jem felt like he was on the brink of something that could change his life as emotions passed across Will’s face, more fluid than a clear rushing river, until it settled to brimming affection. Jem could’ve stayed in this moment forever. The prospect of marrying Tessa pushed to the back of his mind while he was held captive by Will’s thumb caressing his not-so-sharp cheekbones that filled out once he was on his way to proper recovery from yin fen. He was suddenly flooded with memories of bedridden fevers and the same hands nursing him back to health with bowls of food and horrible poetry that accompanied painful sleepless nights as the drug exited his system. 

Will’s body moved before his mind caught up to him. He tilted his head, cursing Jem’s one inch advantage as he pressed his lips lightly against his cheek. He heard the stuttering breath but he was too preoccupied with his own nerves to acknowledge it. 

“Take care of each other.” he whispered, and promptly left the room after. 

Jem was left to stand there alone and confused. 

His door swung open once more. 

“I thought we were not to see each other before the ceremony?” he greeted. He only recieved a huff and a worried look. 

————

They could not spare a moment to talk when Will came back just barely in time before the ceremony started. He refused to meet Jem’s eyes as they walked down the aisle, his hold on his arm feather light but Jem thinks he could feel something gripping at his heart and screaming in his head.

As he watched Tessa walk down the aisle with Charlotte, he finds that he has no breath left to be taken away, but he was enamored to see her and the tears welling up in his eyes were enough proof. A shaky exhale and an equally shaky smile were exchanged as they faced each other at the altar. 

Brother Enoch began the ceremony, and Jem did not miss the way Tessa’s lip caught between her teeth when her gaze shifted to the man behind him who felt like he was worlds away even with the back of his neck tingling due to the near presence. Her eyes were wide when she looked back at him, brows furrowed like something was wrong and a silent, helpless whimper when the Brother’s speech was coming to a close. She was looking at him, expecting him to do something, but he didn’t know what. Would it be rude to interrupt his own wedding? 

‘Do you, Theresa Gray, take James Carstairs as your husband?’ 

“I do.” The smile on her face told him she loved him, but she was nudging his foot under her dress while her eyes repeatedly looks over his shoulder and he knows something’s missing, something’s not right. 

‘Do you, James Carstairs, take Theresa Gray, as you wife?’ 

The prolonged silence made the guests squirm, but he could only focus on Tessa’s encouraging smile. They needed him, they weren’t complete without him. 

“Say yes, you bastard.” Will muttered behind him. It took all of his willpower not to burst out laughing. 

“I do, but not today.” the gasps that echoed across the room fell on deaf ears as Jem took Tessa and Will and broke off running away from the Institute and prying eyes. 

Tessa caught Cecily’s, Sophie’s, and Charlotte’s knowing smiles as she turned around and she’s assured that they’re doing the right thing. The had-been bride laughed and screamed to her heart’s content while she dragged her dress from behind her. 

————-

“Stop! Stop!” Jem and Tessa had been pulled back by the force of Will digging his feet onto the ground. Jem skidded to an ungraceful halt while Tessa attempted to turn around and tripped on her dress as she fell on Will. 

She grinned at him, her eyes alight with the rush of breaking free still evident on her flushed face. They were pressed up together, and Will —- against his better instincts, froze as she cuddled into him, the cold London breeze further ruining her once carefully arranged hair. He tries to push her away, tries to tell her that her betrothed was right behind her for her to cuddle into but she wouldn’t have it. 

When she’s settled on his shoulder, as content as one could be, he turns to Jem with an incredulous look. 

“What madness is this?” 

“What do you mean? She just wants cuddles, it’s cold.” Tessa burrows deeper and nuzzles into his neck, he can feel her cheeky smile. 

Will stares, deadpan. He knows damn well that wasn’t what the question is about. 

The man in question doesn’t answer, only beams at him the way he did mere hours ago before he handed him off to the woman that was now in his arms. Will’s heart stutters, and Tessa must have heard it because she placed a hand above where his heart should be according to human anatomy —- but isn’t, because a half was staring at him with a dopey grin and the other is nipping at his jaw while murmuring sweet nothings into his ear. 

Today was turning out to be an emotional roller coaster. Will extricated himself for Tessa and sat on the nearest bench, passing a hand through his face. He felt them sit on either side of him. 

“We couldn’t marry without you.” Tessa whispered, her cheek propped on his shoulder. He looked at her like she’d spoken a different language. His right hand was laced with someone else’s and he turned to see Jem, looking painfully shy but with a steely glint in his eyes. 

“I don’t know how you feel about me, but I know how I feel about you, and I hate myself for not realizing sooner that you’d become more than my parabatai.” 

“You’re lying.” 

“I am not. I did not know what to make of you cupping my face earlier this morning until I had told Tessa and she slapped me with the truth.” He was looking at their intertwined fingers that he started fiddling with. He looked vulnerable, and akin to a child wearing a man’s clothes. Will ached for him. The dignity he’d been imbued with as a gentleman and a celestial warrior fell away, and what was left was a fumbling boy with trembling lips. Lips that Will met with his own, the gasp of surprise was quickly replaced by a passionate response, the hand interlocked with his was tangled in his hair and the other reached behind him to touch Tessa who was pressed against Will’s other side. 

They parted for air, and Jem had never looked more beautiful than he did now. All flushed cheeks, swollen lips, and unconcealed happiness. They pressed their foreheads together and Jem showered his face with tiny kisses that had him giggling like a school girl.

Will was then pulled away to be kissed by Tessa and the warmth that was on his face descended to his chest, a brief thought of them being the picture perfect display of impropriety in public flashed through his mind but was wiped away by Tessa enthusiastically sucking on his bottom lip and Jem’s open mouth on the exposed skin of his throat. 

It took a great amount of trying, but they finally broke away from each other long enough for Will to ask, 

“Are you two sure about this? We can still go back— “ 

“We were basically consummating the union in this park right here and you ask us if we’re sure?” He’s not one to blush easy but Tessa’s straightforwardness and her raised eyebrow had pulled it out of him as easy as turning the Hyde Park ducks cannibalistic. 

“What she meant to say, is that we’re either getting married with you or we’re not getting married at all.” Jem punctuated his promise with a squeeze of his hip and suddenly his throat was dry but his eyes were not. He could not believe that they loved him enough to run away from the altar, at the edge of their new life that they deserved to have after all the mess they’ve been through. He discreetly went to pinch himself but a hand stopped him and his head was bowed down to hide the tears threatening to spill over so he never saw who it was. 

“This is real, we’re not leaving you behind love.” Jem kissed the shell of his ear as he buried his face on the crook of Tessa’s neck, sobbing with relief and under the gravity of all the love he had for them. 

They stayed that way for must have been hours, the warmth between all three of them warded the biting cold long enough for them to dry their eyes and compose themselves until Charlotte came thundering towards them with a murderous look that was abated when she saw how they held each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I’d been reviewing for science??? I don’t like the ending and I don’t know what happened to the rest of it but I kinda like it???


End file.
